A man has pleaded guilty to an offence under the Treason Act after being caught with a loaded crossbow in the grounds of Windsor Castle where Queen Elizabeth II was spending Christmas on 25th December 2021.
Jaswant Singh Chail, 21, pleaded guilty to three charges at the Old Bailey on Friday, including the most serious charge under Section Two of the Treason Act, for willfully producing, or having, a loaded crossbow with the intent to "injure the person of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, or to alarm Her Majesty".
Chail was also charged with making a threat to kill the Queen and possessing an offensive weapon (a loaded crossbow) in a public place.
Jaswant Singh Chail, 21, pleaded guilty to three charges at the Old Bailey
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The crossbow was loaded with a bolt, with the safety catch off and ready to fire, and had the potential to cause "serious or fatal injuries", according to the prosecution.
Chail was arrested on Christmas Day in the grounds of Windsor Castle, close to the Queen's private apartments, having been spotted at about 8:10am.
When challenged by a police protection officer, Chail, wearing a hood and mask and carrying the loaded crossbow, said "I am here to kill the Queen".
It is understood he had scaled the perimeter fence with a nylon rope ladder around two hours before.
It was alleged that Jaswant Singh Chail had previously applied to join the Ministry of Defence, Police, and the Grenadier Guards in an apparent effort to get close to the Royal Family.
Prosecutors allege Chail sought revenge against the British Empire for the treatment of Indians and sent a video to around 20 people claiming he was going to attempt to assassinate the Queen.
The case was handled by the Metropolitan Police's Counter-Terrorism Command, however the allegations were not treated as terrorism.
Chail, from Southampton in Hampshire, entered his guilty pleas via video link from Broadmoor Hospital.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC had asked for the defendant to enter pleas after a psychiatric report found he was fit to stand trial.
She suggested a mental health disposal in the case may not be needed as Chail's condition had improved with treatment at Broadmoor where he had been since February 2022.
Senior Judge Mr Justice Jeremy Baker ordered Chail's treating doctor to compile a report on his "diagnosis, prognosis and if necessary disposal" by the end of the month, with a further report by another psychiatrist.
Chail is due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on March 31.
In 1981, Marcus Sarjeant was jailed for five years after firing blank shots at the Queen while she was riding down The Mall in London during the Trooping the Colour parade.
Sarjeant pleaded guilty under the 1842 Treason Act, which makes it an offence to assault the Queen, or have a firearm or offensive weapon in her presence with intent to injure or alarm her or to cause a breach of peace.
The last person to be convicted under the separate and more serious 1351 Treason Act was William Joyce, also known as Lord Haw-Haw, who collaborated with Germany during World War Two.
Joyce was executed at HMP Wandsworth, London, in 1946.
Chail was also charged with making a threat to kill the Queen and possessing an offensive weapon
CPS
Jaswant Singh Chail was wearing a hood and mask and carrying the loaded crossbow
CPS